It's an honest question, do you go after your dreams even if they take a while to (or maybe "if") they ever pay off, or do you go for what's safe and affords you a decent living? Read into the question what you will -- whatever if's, and's, and but's you want to stipulate.

TL;DR version: prevailing wisdom seems to suggest that getting paid to do what you love can sometimes be detrimental to your love of the thing itself, depending on whether the perceived rewards are intrinsic or extrinsic.

This is a tricky question and everybody's approach is going to be different and all of them are justified, frankly. Hopefully some of the formalized research on how people typically react when given this choice can be helpful to you.

First. That's pretty much my situation and I wouldn't want it any other way. Besides, I can stretch those peanuts I get paid pretty far. Combine that with not having many wants or needs and life is quite comfortable.

On the other hand, I guess getting decent pay for a job I don't have and having enough spare time to enjoy it would be nice, too...

It depends, does my dream job allow me to play and enjoy video games? Does the safe job involve me clubbing baby seals? Can I survive on dream job income with an allowance of luxury purchases tgrough adequate saving (can I save up for 3 months or for 2 years for that new 42 inch plasma screen)? Is safe job giving me more money than dream job by double or triple?

Honestly, there is only 1 thing that has to be established before I take a job I wouldn't like. Let's put it into american terminology....

How much would someone have to pay a man to shovel shit? You find that number, you bought that man's soul.

...my number is definitely in the 100 dollars an hour area to consider doing it.

-$: Little to no income; sometimes an income drain.~-~: Something you love but anything that you truly love requires work and can often be a great source of stress as the things you love can, and do, wound you the deepest.

Dream job, but I make this decision given that I have a fierce hatred for wasting times with things that don't interest me. (I recognize this as a character flaw, if anyone is wondering, and I know for a fact that my dream job is not an income drain.)

Under the revised legend, I would suggest never underestimating the freedom a few extra bucks can provide.

What is the quote? "Those who say money =/= happiness are the ones that already have it?" Something like that. I would say the PURSUIT of money over everything else is the problem. Unfortunately, a certain amount of money really IS needed for at least some sort of happiness. You just can't get around it. How much is what is going to vary drastically from person to person.

My dream job is to be head gardener of some palatial estate, castle, or chateau where I am allowed total creative and financial freedom to do what I want. I'd like to think this job would pay well, but in reality, unless you're on tv or something, there's not much money in it.

I guess, technically, I am currently at my safe job. I'm in the industry I aimed for, but in a position where my skills are completely wasted. The money is decent, and I'm allowed a bit of freedom, so it's hard to complain.

Still, at this point in my life, with all the expenses that having a family, and a chronic medical condition entail, I simply cannot pursue my dream job. This is why I've basically enacted them at home. My personal compromise. Build an amazing garden around a little house in the suburbs. If I could only get paid for it...

To actually answer the question, yes, I would take the dream job over the safe job, regardless of pay. Just not for another 10 years or so. *sigh*

I think I'd go with what Grim's saying. Given the option, I think I'd take the safe job long enough to provide a good financial foundation for myself, then move to a dream job that pays less than I needed to get started. I don't really plan to retire completely until I just can't physically do things any more - I just hope that my job now (which I actually like, most of the time) will get me enough money that I can go do something more fun later. Of course, it helps that my dream job isn't something like "mountain climbing instructor..."

I wish I could pick door A, but right now money's too important to ignore. I'm in a job I don't love, but I live in an area I do love and I recently bought a house. Ideally I'd be using my degree a little more, creating sociopolitical maps or taking data samples on a coastal engineering/observation station, but for now I have to stick to this job that lets me live in a good place with good salary and benefits. For now I'm walking through door B, but once I've decided that I'm prepared enough I'll do everything I can to switch it up.

First. That's pretty much my situation and I wouldn't want it any other way. Besides, I can stretch those peanuts I get paid pretty far. Combine that with not having many wants or needs and life is quite comfortable.

On the other hand, I guess getting decent pay for a job I don't have and having enough spare time to enjoy it would be nice, too...

Hi people without kids. </asshat>

All in all, safe job for me. I had my dream job and it didn't pay enough. Now I have a depressing job, but I can afford to keep my family off the streets. Fair trade.